The present invention generally pertains to light guide assemblies for daytime running lamps in automotive headlamps and other applications.
Most vehicle manufacturers now include daytime running lamps as a standard feature on production vehicles. For some vehicle models, daytime running lamps comprise a light guide coupled to an LED module. The light guide can include an elongated strip that is integrated into the headlamp assembly to increase the visibility of the vehicle during daylight conditions and lowlight conditions. The light guide also offers styling advantages over conventional daytime running lamps with minimal power consumption, particularly where LEDs are utilized.
Known light guide assemblies include a white retainer behind the light guide. The white retainer ensures the light guide is properly positioned within the headlamp housing, while also providing a brighter appearance over light guide assemblies having black retainers. The white retainer and the light guide enter the protective lamp housing through a small opening. This opening is not visible when the vehicle is running, e.g., when the daytime running lamp is on. In unlit conditions, however, the opening is visible as a black hole in the interior of the headlamp.
It would therefore be beneficial to provide an improved light guide assembly which optically masks the opening through which the light guide enters the headlamp housing. In particular, it would be beneficial to provide an improved light guide assembly that provides a consistent appearance along the entirety of its length for both lit and unlit conditions.